Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-11-29


ply. "Here is the true description of her:
The ordinary English lady; the clear cold
blue eyes, the fine rosy complexion, the inani-
mately polite manner, the large good humored
mouth, the too plump cheeks and chin; these,
and nothing more"
"Was there anything in her expression,
when you first looked at her, that took you
by surprisoP
"Thero was natural curiosity to sec the
woman who had been preferred to her; and
perhaps some establishment also, not to see
more engaging and more beautiful person;
both those feelings restrained within the
limits Of good breeding, and both not lasting
for more than few moments-so far as
could see. say, so far, because the horrible
agitation that she communicated to me dis
turbed my Judgment, II could have got to
the door l would have run out Of the room,
she frightened me so! was not even able to
stand up-I sunk back in my chair; l stared
horror struck at the calm blue eyes that were
only looking at me with gentle surprise. To
shy they affected mo like the eyes Of serpent
is TO say nothing. felt her soul in them,
looking into mine-looking, IL such a thing
can be, unconsciously to her own mortal self.
l tell you my impression, in all its horror and
in all its follyl That woman IA destined
without knowing 1t HERSELF to be the evil
genius OF my lie. Her innocent eyes saw
hidden capabilities of my wickedness in me
that was not aware OF myself, until felt
them stirring under her look. II 1 commit
faults In my life to come-if / am even guilty
OF crimes-she will bring the retribution,
without las l firmly believe) any conscious
exercise of her own will. In one in
describable moment felt all this-and sup
pose my face showed it. The good, artless
creature was inspired by q sort Of gentle
alarm for me. Il am afraid that the heat Of
the room is too much for YOU will you try
my smelling bottler heard her say those
kind words; and 1 remember nothing else
tainted. When recovered my senses the
company had gone; only the lady of the
house was with ME. For the moment could
shy nothing to her; the dreadful impression
that | have tried to describe to you came
back to mo with the coming back OF my life.
As soon as l could speak implored her to
tell me the whole truth about the woman l
had supplanted. You see, had a flint hope
that her good character might not really DO
deserved, that her noble letter was skillful
piece of hypocrisy-in short. that she secretly
hated me and was cunning enough to hide it.
No! the lady had been her friend from her
girlhood, was as familiar with her as II they
had been sisters-knew her positively to be as
good, as innocent, as incapable Of hating any
body, as the greatest saint that ever lived.
NJ one last hope, that l had only felt an Or
j.nary forewarning Of danger in the pres
ence Of an ordinary enemy, was hope de-
stroyed forever. There was one more effort
could make, and made it. went next to
the man whom / am to marry.
implored him to release me from
my promise. He refused. declared
would break my engagement. He showed
me letters from his sisters, letters from his
brothers and his dear friends-all entreating
him to think again before he made me his
wife; all repeating reports Of me in Paris,
Vienna and London, which are so many vile
lies If you refuse to marry me- he said.
you admit that these reports are true-you
admit that you are afraid to face society in
the character OF my wife What could i
answeri There was no contradicting him
he was plainly right; IL persisted in my re-
fusal, the utter destruction of my reputation
would be the result l consented to let the
wedding take place as we had arranged it.
and left him. The night has passed. am
here, with my fixed conviction-that innocent
woman is ordained to have fatal influence
over my life. am hero with my one ques-
tion to put, to the one man who can answer
It. For the last time, sir, what am la de-
mon who has seen the nvenging angellor only
poor mad woman, misled by the delusion OF
deranged mindp
DIR. Wybrow rose from his chair, deter
mined to close the interview
He was strongly and painfully impressed
by what be had heard. The longer he had
listened to her the more irresistibly the con-
viction of the woman's wlckedness had forced
itself upon him. He tried vainly to think Of
her as a person to DO pitied-a person with a
morbidly sentative Imagination, conscious OF
the capacities for evil which lie dormant in
us all, and striving earnestly to open her
heart to the counter influence OF her own bet
ter nature; the effort was beyond him. A
perverse instinct in him said, as IL In words,
Beware how you believe in herl"
II have already given you my opinion he
said. "There is no sign Of your intellect
being deranged, or being likely to be de-
ranged, that medical science can discover
rs understand it. As for the impressions
you have confded to me | can only say that
yours Is a case las / venture to think for
spiritual rather than for medical advice. OF
one thing be assured-what you have said to
me in this room shall not pass out of 1t. Your
confession is safe in my keeping"
She heard him, with a certain dogged res
ignation, to the end.
as that allf' she asked.
"That is all, 4" he answered.
Cho ,,,,t n littla ,,apar ,,nct,oN - ,.,a..a..
the table
thank you, sir. There is your fee.n
With those words she rose. Her wild
black eyes looked upward with an expression
OF despair so defiant and so horrible in its
silent agony that the doctor turned away his
head unable to endure the sight Of 1t. The
bare idea Of taking anything from her-not
money only, but anything even that she had
revolted him. Still, with
out looking at her, no said, "Take IL back; l
don't want any fee"
She neither needed nor heard him. Still
looking upward she said, slowly, to herself:
"Let Tho end come. have done with the
submit"
She drew her veil over her face, bowed to
the doctor and left the room.
He rang the bell and followed her into the
hall As the servant closed the door on her.
q sudden impulse Of curiosity-utterly un.
worthy Of him, and at the same time irresisti-
up in the doctors mind. Blush
ing like n boy, no said to the servant; "Fol-
low her home and find out her name" For
one moment the man looked at his master,
doubling II hib own ears Ind not deceived
him. DR.. Wyb.ow looked hack Gt him In